Adjusting means for variable speed transmission



Junev 22, 1937. H. E. BRooKs ADJUSTING MEANS FOR VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed March 27, 1956 HHHH INVENTOR. J-/ar/g Broc/f6., BY

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 22, 1937 PATENT OFFRE Y ADJUSTKNG MEANS FOR VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Harry E. Brooks, Columbus, Ind., assigner to Reeves Pulley Company, Columbus, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application March 27, 1936, Serial No. 71,108

14 Claims.

The present application relates to adjusting means for variable speed transmissions of the Reeves type. A primary object of the invention is to Vprovide improved fulcruming means for the operating levers of the transmission. A further object of the invention is to provide improved actuating means for the operating levers of the transmission. A still further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the fulcrums for the two levers may be simultaneously adjusted in the same direction; and a still further object of the invention is to provi-de means whereby the actuating means for the two levers may be simultaneously adjusted inthe same direction. Still further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the `form illustrated in the accompanying drawing, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawing is illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illusy.trated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a transmission of the Y Reeves type embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

I have illustrated the usual frame I9 in which are journalled parallel shafts Il and I2. A coned disc I3 is splined on the shaft I I and is operatively connected to a thrust bearing I4 with which is associated a pressure-equalizer member I5 formed to-provide two oppositely projecting trunnions I6, of which only one is shown. A second coned disc I1 is splined on the shaft II in facing relation to the disc I3, said disc I1 having operatively connected thereto Va thrust bearing` I8 with which is operatively associateda pressureequalizing element I9 provided with oppositely projecting trunnions 20, one only of which is shown.

A coned disc 2I is splined on the shaft `I2 and hask operatively connectedthereto a thrust bearing 22 with which is operatively associated a pressure-equalizing element 23 provided with oppositely projecting trunnions 24, one only of which is shown. In facing relation to the disc 2| is a coned disc 25, splined on the shaft I2, and operatively connected to a thrust bearing 26, with which is operatively associated a pressure-equalizing element 21 provided with oppositely projected trunnions 28, one only of which is shown.

Between the shafts II and I2, and parallel thereto, is a shaft 29; and positioned in the same vertical axial plane are two rods 39 and 3| suitably secured in the frame I9. In one wall of the frame there is formed a bore 32 in which is rotatably mounted a bushing 33 which is threadedly associated with a threaded portion 34 of the shaft 29. wheel 35 positioned outside the frame I0 and bearing against the outside wall of said frame, whereby said bushing is held against movement downwardly, as viewed in Fig. 1. A lock nut 36 The bushing 33 is provided with a hand l0 is threaded on the end 34 of the shaft 29 and is l5 adapted to be jammed against the hand wheel 35 to lock said bushing 33 against rotation with respect to the shaft 29. If desired, there may be provided a set screw 31 for more firmly locking the lock nut 36 and the hand wheel 35 together, and to the shaft 29,

The opposite end 38 of the shaft 29 is formed with threads, the pitch of which is opposite to the pitch of the threads on the portion 34; and a similar bushing is threaded on said end 38, said bushing being provided with a hand wheel 39; and a lock nut 40 being associated with said hand wheel. If desired, the lock nut 49 may be provided with a set screw similar to the set screw 31.

It will be seen that the shaft 29 is thus journalled in the frame through the medium of the bushing 33 and the bushing associated with the hand wheel 39. If it is desired to rotate the shaft 29, the look nuts 36 and 4I! are set against the hand wheels 35 and 39, and either of said hand wheels may then be rotated, whereby the shaft 29 will be rotated with them. If, however, it is desired to shift the shaft 29 bodily upwardly, as viewed in Fig. 1, the nut 49 may be backed away from the hand wheel 39, the hand wheel 39 may thereupon be rotated Without turning the shaft 29 to back said hand wheel again into contact with the nut 40; the nut 36 may then be moved away from the hand wheel 35; and thereupon, rotation of the hand wheel 35 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed from the right of Fig. 2, will move said shaft bodily until the hand wheel 39 again comes into contact with the wall of the frame I0.

A nut 4I is provided with a threaded bore 42 whereby it is threadedly mounted on the portion 34 of the shaft 29. Said nut is further provided with two smooth bores 43 and 44 through which pass, respectively, the rods 30 and 3l to hold said nut 4| against rotation.

The nut 4i is formed to provide two parallel fulcrum elements 45 and 56 which project upwardly from said nut and which are positioned substantially in the vertical axial plane of the shaft 29 and are spaced from each other in the direction of the axis of said shaft. Upon the fulcrum element 35 is' pivotally mounted one end of a link ill, the opposite end oi which provides a pivotal mounting for a stud i8 formed upon a platevli. The portion of said plate 49 remote from said stud it is formed with an open-ended notch 5d in which is embraced the fulcrum element llt. Thus a lost motion connection is provided between said fulcrum element it and the plate 49. A lever El is secured, intermediate its ends, to the plate i9 by means of rivets 5i', or other suitable fastening means.

The nut il is further formed to provide a fulcrum element 52 aligned with the fulcrurn element d5 and a fulcrum element 53 aligned with the fulcrinn element Q5, said elements 52 and 53 projecting oppositely with respect to the elements l5 and d5.

One end of a link 513 is pivotally mounted on the fulcrum element 52, and the other end of said link provides a pivotal mounting for a stud 55 on a plate: 5S.

Said plate 5&3, at a point remotefrom the stud 55, is formed with an open-ended notch, as at 5l, embracing the fulcrum element 53. A lever 58 is secured, intermediate its ends, to the plate 5t by rivets 5e, or other suitable fastening means.

The lever 5i is formed, adjacent its opposite ends, with elongated slots il and 5i, the slot Sil embracing the trunnion i6, and the slot di embracing the trunnion 25. The lever 58, which is completely hidden in Fig. l by the lever 5l, is

,similariy formed with slots engaging the other trunnions on the elements i5 and 223.

A lever 63 is suitably secured to a plate 63 which is formed with .an open-ended notch ernn bracing a fulcrum element Eli, which corresponds to the element tt, upon a nut similar to the nut lll which is mounted on the end 38 of the shaft 2&3. Said plate is pivotally mounted, as at 64, upon one end of a link B6, the opposite end of which is pivotaily mounted upon a fulcrum element il corresponding to the fulcrum element 455. Said lever 32 is formed with elongated slots @il and (i9 embracing, respectively, the trunnions 2li and 28; and it is to be understood that a fourth lever, similar to the lever 62, is associated with said lever and with the elements i9 and 2l, just as the lever 53 is associated with the lever 5i.

One end of the lever 5i is formed with an open-ended notch it embracing a fulcrum element 'il formed on a nut l2, rsaid nut being threadedly mounted upon a threaded portion i3 adjacent one end of a shaft l. Said end 'i3 of the shaft 'it threadedly carries a bushing similar to the bushing 33, said bushing being journalled in a suitable aperture in the frame Il! and being provided with a hand wheel 'l5 backed up by a lock nut '16. The opposite end 8% of the shaft 'M is formed with threads, the pitch of which is opposite to the pitch of the threads on the portion i3; and said end 38 threadedly carries a bushing similar to the bushing 33, suitably journalled in an aperture in the frame lli, and provided with a hand wheel ll backed up by a lock nut i8. It will be seen, thus, that the shaft 'i6 is mounted exactly as is the shaft 29.

The nut i2 is provided with an arm 19 having a shoe (not shown) enga-ged between the levers 5i and 53, to prevent rotation of the nut l2.

Preferably, said nut 'l2 is formed with shoulders and 8i, the shoulder Sil being engageable by teeth 82 formed on a` sto-p nut 3S adjustably mounted on the shaft and backed up by a lock nut 84; and the shoulder 8l is engageable by teeth 85 formed on a stop nut 8S mounted on the shaft and backed up by a lock nut Si. The nut 'l2 is formed to provide a fulcrum element 'il' which is embraced by the notched end of the lever 53.

The end 88 of the shaft id thre-adedly carries a nut similar to the nut '5:2 and formed to provide a fulcrum element 89 embraced by the notch 90 of the lever 52; and the lower lever correm spending to the lever t2 is similarly notched to embrace a similar fulcrum element projectu ing downwardly from the nut mounted on the end 88 of the shaft lil.

It will be seen that, when the hand wheel 'i5 (or the hand wheel il) is rotated to turn the shaft l in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the bottom of Fig. l, the nut l2 will be moved downwardly, as viewed in Fig. l, whereupon the lever 5I will be rotated in a clockwise direction about its pivotal mounting A433, and the link il will be simultaneously moved in a counter-clockwise direction about its fulcrum element d5. The lever 62 will be similarly, but oppositely, moved; whereby the discs 2l and 25 will be moved toward each other, and the discs i3 and il' will be moved away from each other.

Of course, it is to be understood that the pulleys, formed, respectively, by the discs i3 and El, and by the discs 2l and 25, are intended to be con nected by an edge-active belt. If, after the organization has been assembled, it is found that the belt is out of alignment, a suitable adjustment may be made by shifting the shaft lll, and the nuts mounted thereon, bodily. For instance, if the pulley formed by the discs 2| and 25 has its median plane disposed, in Fig. 1, above the median lane of the pulley formed by the discs i3 and il, adjustment of the shaft 'I4 downwardly, as viewed in Fig. 1, will move both discs 2i and 25 downwardly, and will simultaneously move both discs I3 and Il both upwardly. It will be obvious that adjustment to cure such a misalignment will be very much simpler, with the structure of the present invention, than it would be if it were necessary to adjust the nut l2 and the nut mounted on the end 88 of the shaft it, separately along said shaft. It will also be obvious that the structure of the present invention makes it possible to obtain an absolutely accurate alignment of the median planes of the two expansible pulleys, even though the threads on the portions 'i3 and 88 of the shaft 'i4 may have been somewhat inaccurately formed.

If it is desired to vary the tension of the belt, that tension may be adjusted by rotating the shaft 29, whereby the nut il and the nut mounted on the op-positeend of the shaft 2S will be moved simultaneously either toward each other or away from each other. Bodily movement of the shaft 23, with the nuts mounted thereon, will cause both levers 5I and 62 to move about the fulcruin elements 1| and 89. If the shaft 29 is moved upwardly, as viewed from Fig. 1, it will be obvious that all four discs will likewise be moved upwardly, but the discs I3 and il will be moved to a greater degree than will be the discs 2i and 2t. Clearly, therefore, matters of both alignment and tension may be adjusted by bodily movement of the shaft 2S. The adjustment of the shaft 2Q, in connection With alignment of the median planes of the'two pulleys, might be considered as a micrometer adjustmetfto perfect a relatively rough adjustment effected by bodily movement i of the shaft T4.

" V-pulleys, and means for adjusting said discs comprising a third shaft between said two shafts, said third shaft being provided, adjacent its opposite ends, with oppositely threaded portions, a

, nut threadedly mounted on each of said threaded portions, each nut being formed to provide two parallel'fulcrum members spaced from each other in the direction of the axis of said third shaft, a link for each of said nuts having oneend pivotally mounted on one of said fulcrums, a plate pivotally `connected to the opposite end of each of said links andy having an open notch receiving the other ,of'said fulcrums, and a lever secured to each of said plates and operatively associated with one disc of -each pair.

' 2. vIn a deviceof the class described, two parallel shafts, a pair of coned discs splined on Asaid' third shaft being provided, adjacent its opposite ends, with oppositely threaded portions, a

nut threadedly mounted on each of said threaded portions, each nut being formed to provide two parallel fulcrum members spaced from each other in the direction of the axis of said third shaft, a v

link for each of said nuts having one end pivotally :fmounted on one of said fulcrums, a lever pivotally connected, intermediate its ends, to the opposite end of each of said links, and having a sliding connection with the other fulcrurn of the nut with which it is associated, and means providing an operative connection between each of said levers and one disc of 'each pair.

3. The combination with a lever of a mounting therefor comprising a threaded shaft, a nut threadedly mounted thereon and formed to carry two parallel fulcrum elements spaced from each other in the direction of the axis of said shaft,

v"a link having one end pivotally mounted on one of said fulcrums, and means pivotally connect- Vir'ig said lever, intermediate its ends, to the other prising a threaded shaft journalled in said frame,

two nuts threadedly mounted on said threaded shaft and carrying, respectively, fulcrums for said levers, and means for bodily adjusting said threaded shaft and nuts axially in said frame.

5. In a device of the class described, a frame, a pair of parallel shafts journalled in said frame, two coned discs mounted on each of said shafts in facing relation and cooperating to form two expansible V-pulleys, a lever operatively engaging one disc of each pulley, a second lever operatively engaging the other disc of each pulley, fulcrum means for said levers, and operating means for said levers comprising a threaded shaft journalled in said frame, two nuts threadedly mounted on said threaded shaft and having lost-motion connections with said respective levers, and means for bodily shifting said threaded shaft and nuts axially in said frame.

6. In a device of the class described, a frame, a pair of parallel shafts journalled in said frame, two coned discs mounted on each of said shafts in facing relation and cooperating to form two expansible V-pulleys,l a lever operatively engaging one disc of each pulley, a second lever opera tively engaging the other disc of each pulley, and

means providing fulcrums for said levers, ccmprsing a threaded shaft, two nuts threadedly mounted on said threaded shaft and carrying, respectively, fulcrums for said levers, a bushing threaded on one end of said shaft and journalled in said frame, said bushing being provided with a portion operable from outside said frame to rotate said bushing, and means effective, at times,

to lock said bushing against rotation with respect to said threaded shaft.

'7. In a device of the class described, a frame, a pair of parallel shafts journalled in said frame, two coned discs mounted on each of said shafts in facing relation and cooperating to form two expansible V-pulleys, a lever operatively engaging one disc of each pulley, a second lever operatively engaging the other disc of each pulley, and means providing fulcrums for said levers, comprising a threaded shaft, two nuts threadedly mounted on said threaded shaft and carrying, respectively, fulcrums for said levers, a bushing threaded on one end of said shaft and journalled in said frame, and means effective, at times, to lock said bushing against rotation with respect to said threaded shaft.

8. In a device of the class described, a frame, a pair of parallel shafts journalled in said frame, two coned discs mounted on each of said shafts in facing relation and cooperating to form two expansible V-pulleys, a lever operatively engaging one disc of each pulley, a second lever operatively engaging the other disc of each pulley, and means providing fulcrums for said levers, comprising a threaded shaft, two nuts threadedly mounted on said threaded shaft and carrying, respectively, fulcrums for said levers, a bushing threaded on one end of said shaft and journalled in said frame, a second bushing threaded on the opposite end of said shaft and journalled in said frame, and means effective, at times, to lock said bushings against rotation with respect to said threaded shaft.

9. In a device of the class described, a frame, a pair of parallel shafts journalled in said frame, two coned discs mounted on each of said shafts in facing relation and cooperating to form two expansible V-pulleys, a lever operatively engaging one disc of each pulley, a second lever operatively engaging the other disc of each pulley, and

means providing fulcrums for said levers, comprising a threaded shaft, two nuts threadedly mounted on said threaded shaft and carrying, respectively, fulcrums for said levers, a bushing threaded on one end of said shaft and journalled in said frame, cooperative means on said bushing and said frame for holding said bushing against axial movement in at least one direction, a second bushing threaded on the opposite end of said threaded shaft and journalled in said frame, cooperative means on said second bushing and said frame for holding said second bushing against axial movement in at least one direction, and means effective, at times, to lock said bushings against rotation with respect to said threaded shaft.

10. In a device of the class described, a frame, a pair of parallel shafts journalled in said frame, two coned discs mounted on each of said shafts in facing relation and cooperating to form two expansible *tf-pulleys, a lever operatively engaging one disc of each pulley, a second lever operatively engaging the other disc of each pulley, fulcrum means for said levers, and operating means for said levers comprising a threaded shaft, two nuts threadedly mounted on said threaded shaft and having lost-motion connections with said respective levers, a bushing threaded on one end of said shaft and journalled inV said frame, said bushing being provided with a portion operable from outside said frame to rotate said bushing, and means effective, at times, to lock said bushing against rotation with respect to said threaded shaft.

11.1n a device of the class described, a frame, a pair of parallel shafts journalled in said frame, two coned discs mounted on each of said shafts in facing relation and cooperating to form two eXpansible V-pulleys, a lever operatively engaging one disc of each pulley, a second lever operatively engaging the other disc of each pulley, fulcrum means for said levers, and operating means for said levers comprising a threaded shaft, two nuts threadedly mounted on said threaded shaft and having lostmotion connec tions with said respective levers, a bushing threaded on one end of said shaft and journalled in said frame, and means effective, at times, to lock said bushing against rotation with respect to said threaded shaft.

12. In a device of the class described, a frame, a, pair of parallel shafts journalled in said frame, two coned discs mounted on each of said shafts in facing relation an-d cooperating to form two expansible V-pulleys, a lever operatively engaging one disc of each pulley, a second lever opern atively engaging the other disc of each pulley, fulcrum means for said levers, and operating means for said levers comprising a threaded shaft, two nuts threadedly mounted on said threaded shaft and having lost-motion connections with said respective levers, a bushing threaded on one end of said shaft and journalled in said frame, a secondjoushing threaded on lthe opposite end of said shaft and journalled in said frame, and means effective, at times, to

lock said bushing against rotation with respect to said threaded shaft.

13. In a device of the class described, a frame a pair of parallel shafts journalled in said frame,

two coned discs mounted on each of said shafts said shaft and journalled in said frame, cooperative means on said bushing and said frame for holding said bushing against axial movement in at least one direction, a second bushing threaded on the opposite end of said threaded shaft and journalled in said frame, cooperative means on said second bushing and said frame forholding said second bushing against axial movement in at least one direction, and means effective, at times, to lock said bushings against rotation with respect to saidthreaded shaft.

1i. in a device of the class described, a frame, a pair of parallel shafts journalled in said frame, two coned discs mounted on each of said shafts in facing relation and cooperating to form two expansihle itl-pulleys, a lever operatively engaging one disc ofeach pulley, a second lever operatively engaging the other disc of each pulley, and means providing fulcrums for said levers, comprising a threaded shaft, two nuts threadedly mounted on said threaded shaft and carrying, respectively, fulcrums for said levers, a bushing threaded on one end of said shaft and journalled in said frame, a second bushing threaded on the opposite end of said shaft and journalled in sai-d frame, and means effective, at times, vto lock said bush ings against rotation with respect to said threaded shaft, and operating means for said levers comprising a threaded shaft, two nuts threadedly mounted on said threaded shaft and having lost-motion connections with said respective levers, a bushing threaded on one end of said shaft and journalled in said frame, a second bushing threaded on the opposite end of said shaft and journalled in said frame, and means eifective, at times, to lock said last mentioned bushings against rotation with respect to said threaded shaft.

HARRY E. BROOKS. 

